Egypt liberals hold anti-Islamist demo

Hundreds of Egyptian liberals and leftists rallied in Cairo yesterday to demand that Islamists stop foisting their ideas upon society, saying the days of one-party rule ended with the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. The turnout was less than organisers had hoped, suggesting opponents of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi have yet to capitalise on any popular disapproval with his first three months in office. Clashes a week ago between Brotherhood supporters and their opponents left more than 100 people injured. Some Brotherhood officials voiced regret over last week’s violence and the Islamist movement did not call for a counter-protest this time. An Islamist-dominated body writing Egypt’s new constitution released a draft this month that was met with suspicion by rights groups and liberals seeking to protect personal freedoms. Mursi hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement that Mubarak tried to suppress and now dominates politics after winning Egypt’s first free and fair elections in decades. He has pledged to defend the cause of Egypt’s January 2011 uprising against Mubarak that was driven by anger at a corrupt, autocratic elite. Opponents say he is repeating history by monopolising power and is failing to crack down on religious zealots who threaten personal freedoms and Egypt’s large Christian minority. “Down, down Mursi-Mubarak,” a few hundred protesters yelled as they marched towards Tahrir Square, cradle of the 2011 uprising. “Hold on, country. Freedom is being born.” At least 20 organisations ranging from human rights groups to revolutionary socialists, opponents of military trials, nationalists and liberals joined the protest. By mid-afternoon, some 2,000 protesters were shouting their demands in Tahrir Square under banners proclaiming: “The people want a constitution for all Egyptians.” l The Freedom and Justice Party elected former parliament chief Saed al-Katatni yesterday to replace Mursi, who stepped down on taking over the presidency. Katatni, who headed the Islamist-dominated parliament dissolved shortly before Mursi’s election in June, beat his rival Essam al-Erian with roughly 67% of the vote by party delegates.